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Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

CHARLESTON, WV—U.S. Attorney Booth
Goodwin announced today that a Kanawha County man was sentenced to federal
prison for possessing child pornography. Richard Paul Diaz, 55, of St. Albans,
West Virginia, was sentenced to six years in prison to be followed by 15 years
of supervised release. Diaz previously pleaded guilty in April. Diaz admitted
that on February 10, 2010, he knowingly possessed on his computer more than 600
images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct; that
is, actual or simulated sexual intercourse and the lascivious exhibition of the
genitals and pubic area of the minors. Diaz also admitted that he knew the
images and videos constituted child pornography. In addition, Diaz further
admitted that he used a peer-to-peer file sharing program to share the child
pornography.

The Kanawha Bureau of Investigation-West
Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Federal Bureau of
Investigation-West Virginia Cyber Crimes Task Force conducted the
investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Johnston handled the
prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over
the sentencing.

This case was brought as part of Project
Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department
of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and
abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals
federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute
individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit
http://www.justice.gov/usao/wvs/PSCpage.html. For more information about
Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and follow the link
named “Resources.”